Harry Potter and the Trolls of Moominhouse
by David Silver
Summary: Harry Potter may not get to Hogwarts at time at all, as he's thrown out of his scheduled progression into another strange land of magic.
1. Chapter 1

"I'm already doing that," shouted a young Harry Potter as he hefted the garbage free from the bin. "I swear, sometimes…" It was far from the first time he had to perform the chore for his aunt, and hardly the last, he figured.

He strode from the house with his stash, as unsightly as the bag may have been. "One trash, taken out," he muttered to himself as he swung it around in a grand arc that sent it sailing the last few feet to crash into the bin it belonged in. "Yes."

With a clap of his hands, he pivoted in place to head back inside. Unseen by him, a dark presence scowled even as they worked their fingers. "Now."

Harry had a powerful charm that should have kept him quite safe until he had come of age, but a loophole had been found. Just as he opened the door, his aunt's house was not beyond it. A strange swirling maelstrom yawned before the startled boy.

He turned to flee, but the ground gave away, or so it felt. His foot had left it and he was falling forward into the chaotic swirls before him. The door shut gently behind him, the muggle world entirely unaware anything had happened, save for one missing boy.

Harry landed just as suddenly in plush green grass. The air was fresh and gentle, wafting around him even as his heart thundered. He scrambled to his feet, looking around, but he was not anywhere he could immediately recognize. He was in the middle of the countryside. There were trees, and a brisk breeze.

It was cooler than he had started, but it was still the same time of day, early to mid evening, the sun in the sky working towards setting. "Where am I?" he asked the world, but the world had no replies to give him.

"You look lost," came a gentle female voice.

Harry turned in place so quickly he almost fell over, but what he saw was enough enough to tip the scales, and his balance, crashing down on his bottom as he peered dazedly at the strange creature in front of him.

Like a bipedal hippo covered in sleek white fur, she reached out a hand towards him. "I didn't mean to frighten you." She wore an apron-like skirt around her midsection, red and white vertical stripes leading to bells around her feet. In her other hand was held a black purse. "Are you alright?"

"W-what are you?" Harry stammered in perhaps not his fine moment. "Where am I?!"

"I am Momminmomma," she introduced herself gently as if nothing was at all wrong. "You are in Moominvalley. I am a mommintroll."

"Troll?" The curious creature before him was not what he heard trolls look like. It was neither a small creature with wild hair or a huge lumbering brute with a club. It was a rounded hippo with a purse. "Pardon me… but you don't _look_ like a troll to me." He pushed off the ground, regaining his footing. Whatever Moominmomma was, she felt pretty harmless after the surprise ran its course."

She shook her head. "But I am. We moomins are trolls. It's just what we are, and you look like a lost boy. Are you lost?"

"No! I…" Where was he? "-might be a little. You said this was 'Moominvalley'? Does that mean there are more of… you?"

"Oh, yes." She pointed into the distance where a round house could be seen, like a little tower of three floors, though he couldn't make out too many details in the distance. "That's moominhouse right there, where I live with moonminpappa and our children and their friends."

"Is… everything around here moominsomething?"

She pointed directly at him. "I imagine your name doesn't have moomin in it. There are others too."

"That's...nice… Tell me, do you have a phone? My aunt's likely to get terribly sore at me not being home in time for supper." He didn't mention his own desire to get back to a sense of normalcy rather than oddly friendly hippo trolls.

"Afraid I don't." She turned towards her house and took a step. "Come along. No little boy is going to be left outside while I can do something about it. You're welcome to have some dinner and warm yourself while we figure out where you need to be."

Part of him wanted to flee straight away, but the offer of food and warmth felt more pressing than any lingering fear of the strange creature. "Al...right…" He wouldn't find a phone in the middle of the wilderness, he reasoned silently. Perhaps one of their friends had one he could use. "Lead the way."

The maternal moomin did just that, walking along peacefully with her new ward behind her. "We'll make up a room for you, dear. Poor thing, so very lost. You just put your worries away and let the adults fuss about such things. You're safe now."

Harry was still young, close to 14, but old enough to be certain he didn't need to be talked down to _quite_ that much, even if the creature seemed to be trying her best to comfort him. "I'll be fine," he assured, holding up a hand. "Do… you even know what a human is?"

"Well, you, my dear, and a few other of our friends." She nodded gently without turning. "We have a number of human friends, dear things. I gather I'm the first moomintroll you've met."

"Yes, Ma'am. Um, are there others? Outside of your family, I mean?" He advanced, just slightly behind her, more to her right side.

"Oh, yes, of course. They visit sometimes, but here it's mostly just our family." She reached out a hand that had a purse dangling on it and seemed to be holding the purse just in front of him. "Are you hungry?"

"Mostly confused… What do you have?" Curiosity won over caution, peering at the bag.

"I always carry the essentials, like snacks and-" Her explanation was cut off by a new voice.

"Momma, is that you?!" called a young male voice, not terribly different in age than Harry. "There you are." Cresting a small hill in front of them was another hippo, shorter and even more brightly white in colored fur and waving a hand excitedly. He wore nothing and seemed to have no shame in it. "Who's that with you?"

The larger one drew her purse-wielding arm back just to gently wave at Harry. "I haven't asked his name yet. What is your name?"

"Harry Potter," he admitted, not seeing many reasons to not say his name. "Nice to… meet you?"

"Oh it's lovely to meet you." The smaller moomin rushed up towards Harry. His round nose prevented seeing any smile he may or may not have had, but the rest of his face seemed clear that he was happy. "I'm Moomintroll. She's my mother." He pointed at Moominmamma. "And you're Harry Potter, a human. Humans have funny names, but it's a nice, funny, name."

"You have a nice, funny, name too, Moomintroll." He offered a hand and it was taken quickly, the two shaking on it, skin to fur.

Moominmamma seemed pleased with the interaction. "I knew you were a nice little boy. Harry here will be staying with us a while until we find out where he should be."

"Oh! You're a guest? I'll get your room together." He turned in place and went scurrying back towards the house, shouting as he went, though the words were rapidly lost with distance.

"Everyone in the house will know you're coming," explained Momma. "Depending on who's home right now, you may even have another human to say hello to. Now, dear, you look cold." She gently pat the back of his back. "So let's get inside."

He hadn't thought of it terribly much, but it _was_ colder wherever they were. Not by a huge margin, but enough that he could feel the goosebumps spreading and a shivering building. "Your, um, fur, is doing a good job."

"It's always been enough," she calmly accepted, reaching for the door and gently nudging it open. "I'm home."

"Welcome home," came a chorus of voices from the warm interior of the quaint house that looked like a tower.

"Where is he?" demanded a small female voice, a girl with a scowl emerging with a red dress frilled out, her orange hair done up in bun. "He wasn't lying." She was peering at Potter directly, but didn't come closer than the door.

"Why would Moomintroll lie?" asked Momma as she moved to walk in, casually passing the small female. "Be nice. He'll be staying with us a little while."

"The name's Little My." She hiked a thumb at her chest. "And you're Harry Potter. Moomintroll's making up the guest room right now."

That potentially aggressive little girl was human, Harry felt certain. "Nice to meet you, Little."

"Little My." She emphasized each word with a slap of her hands together.

"You can call me Harry if you rather." He glanced beyond her to the inside of the house. It was… charmingly quaint. Welcoming and warm, it seemed nicer than the chilly evening air by far. "Do you live here too?"

"Yeah?" She stepped back half a step. "You too, it sounds like. Are you a wanderer too?"

"Me? No. I really should get home." He walked past her and she pulled the door shut suddenly, slipping under an arm to reach the knob and slamming it shut.

"Thank you," spoke a male voice. A large, the largest, hippo troll sat at the table, a paper unfolded in front of him that he was reading. "We can't go letting all the heat out. Welcome, young Harry Potter, to Moominhouse. The missus mentioned you were in need, and if we can help, I see no reason not to be. Warm yourself and make yourself at home."

"All done!" came Moomintroll's excited voice, thumping down the stairs and towards them with his hands out to either side. "The room's ready! Oh, you're already here. Hello again." He bowed suddenly, but briefly, towards Harry.

Little My hiked a thumb at Harry as she walked away. "He isn't human."

Harry and Moomin both looked at her oddly, but she provided no further answers. Moomin closed with Harry. "Don't mind her, she's funny sometimes. I'm really excited." He reached for Harry's hand and soon held it between his warm hands. "Come this way. Dinner will be ready soon."

"Play nicely," advised Poppa as he read his paper calmly, pausing a moment to adjust the big black tophat on his head. "We'll call."

Call! Harry Potter suddenly turned to Poppa. "Do you know of any phones around here I could make a quick call from?"

"I'm afraid I don't." He shook his head as he let the paper fall over backwards, folding and revealing his round face. "I'll ask around, but that won't be today."

"Are you worried?" Moomin gently pulled Harry's still held hand. "We'll figure it out, I promise."

Harry was led away to idle the time away with Moomin doing harmless things. Momma sat down across from Poppa. "What a curious boy," she mused. "Where do you suppose he came from?"

"He could have come from anywhere… His accent makes me think of England. I've been there before, have I told you the story?"

"No!" Little My appeared as if from nowhere. "Tell us!"

Momma held up her hands. "As much as I would love to hear any tale you have to share, we should focus. He sounds like an Englandhuman?"

Poppa nodded with confidence as he set his paper down on the table. "He's dressed like it too. I'd wager my cane on it."

"Not a human," piped up Little My with a wicked smirk.

"What do you mean by that?" Poppa regarded her with a curious look, but no urgency in his words. "You seem to know something. Share?"


	2. Chapter 2

The family gathered around the table. Three furry hippos that said they were trolls, one little girl, and a new creature for Harry to try to not stare at. This new one had brown fur and a quivering nose. They looked like a little rat, though larger than the girl.

"That's Sniff," introduced Moomin with a little wave. "Sniff, this is Harry. He'll be staying with us for a while."

"Oh, hi." Sniff sat up from his slouch in his chair. "Where do you come from?"

"Surrey… Great Britain. Are we even there, you know…" Did they know? He wasn't certain.

Poppa answered with a shake of his head. "Afraid not. That is not close to here. However did you come so far away?"

Momma set a plate down in front of Harry. "We can save questions for _after_ everyone's had something to eat."

For as strange as the creatures he was surrounded by, the food looked nice and smelled just as lovely. Though he hadn't mentioned it, that he wasn't part of the menu was a fact he silently was thankful for. The creatures seemed to genuinely wish the best for him. "Thank you." He accepted the food and the chance to be quiet and eat a moment.

Little My prodded at Moomin. "So, how was he?"

"What do you mean?" He dabbed at his bulbous snout to keep it clear of debris before chomping at his food. "He seems nice, if a little scared."

"Yeah?" She poked at her own food with a fork. "Guess that's normal… Hey, Potter. You scared?"

"No!" he lied, fooling little.

Little smirked at the defensive burst. "It's alright. No one in this house will hurt you."

Momma reached over and set a hand on Harry's head without prompting, gently mussing the boy's hair. "Poor thing. You're safe here."

Compared to how his aunt behaved, this complete stranger, that… completely inhuman thing was already being nicer to him. She had no reason to. They weren't related. She owed him nothing.

A soft knock came from the front door before the sound of it opening. "Hello," called a cheerful female voice, the door then closing. "I hope I'm not coming at a bad time."

"Snorkmaiden!" burst Moomin, bouncing to his feet, his plate set aside, forgotten and mostly cleaned anyway. "We have a new guest."

"A new guest?" A new creature came into view. She looked very much like the moomintrolls, with white fur, a big round snout and general soft appearance, but she had hair. They all had hair in the form of fur, but she had actual hair on her head, brushed nicely with a flower tucked behind her right ear. Clasped around her left leg was a bright golden band that matched the color of her hair. "Oh, there you are. Hello."

Harry felt… something he couldn't quite describe as he looked her over. Something about her voice or the way she spoke or even her tufted tail's motions with the rest of her jolly expression. His fears seemed to be chased away for at least the moment. "Nice to meet you, Snorkmaiden. Do you have a given name, or is that it?"

"You can call me Floren, if you prefer?" she allowed with a little curtsey. "And you are?"

Moomin pointed at him. "He's Harry Potter, but I think he's alright with just Harry."

"Yes, that's just fine," he quickly agreed with a nod. "We were just having dinner."

"You're welcome to join us." Momma was already fixing a new plate. "You're basically family, you know that."

"Thank you." She accepted the plate and sat down, right next to Harry. "Where did you come from?"

Little My answered instantly, "He said he's from 'Great Britain'. Not sure what's so great about it." She set her plate aside. "Thanks." And off she went, apparently done with dinner.

Moomin collected her plate and brought it with his own to the sink. "He's lost."

"Oh no! It's right out of a fairy tale, a lost little boy." Memory seemed to come to her and her cheerful face darkened a little. "Now you aren't fibbing about that, right? You have to tell the truth."

"N-no! Really. I was just outside my home." He pointed, not that he had any real idea which direction that home was anymore. "Suddenly I was close to here, like magic."

"I saw it happen," noted Momma as she added her plate to the others and began washing diligently. "One moment it was quiet, then there was a confused little boy standing in the middle of nowhere. I happened to be nearby and came to help."

It wasn't that Harry wanted to just sit there and be talked about, but his attempts to think of a way to meaningfully work towards getting home were turning up blank. There he was, with strange creatures, off in who-knew-where.

"Don't be sad." Floran drew him in against her side, offering a warm furry place to hide. "We'll get this figured out. At the very least, you'll be alright here. Your mother must be worried…"

"I… No." He lifted his shoulders in a helpless shrug. "My aunt will be furious at me for wandering off, more likely than not."

"She should be more worried and less angry." Floran booped Harry right on the nose. "Nobody's angry at you here."

Nobody was. He was… welcome. That was an odd feeling. "Thank you. So are you… related?" He pointed between Floran and Moomin, who stood quite closeby.

Moomin's cheeks went a little red as he began to giggle. "We're friends!"

Floran nodded in agreement. "He's my boyfriend, my gallant knight."

That news was disappointing, though he couldn't quite put his finger on why. "Oh, you two are dating?"

Floran leaned in and whispered in an ear, "It's a little game we play. He's my prince until a real one comes along. He already has a special someone."

"Oh! Oh." Had he sounded a bit too interested? He stomped down on that. "Well, it's nice to meet you, really." He offered a hand and it was quickly taken, the two shaking firmly. Her fur seemed to change colors subtly as they did so. "What's that?"

She noticed with twitching ears. "Oh, that's a snork thing. We change colors with our moods, and I'm quite happy to make a new friend." She reached over and pulled Moomin in close. "Another way you can tell Moomintrolls from Snorks."

Sniff did his namesake as he added his plate to the sink Momma was busy cleaning. "No confusing me for either of those."

Momma gave him a sudsy pat on the head. "You're still family, Sniff."

Poppa was reading a book, also finished with dinner. "Why don't you all go play?"

"That's a great idea," gushed Moomintroll, looking excited. "C'mon!" He grabbed the hand of the two close to him, moving to draw Floren and Harry towards the stairs.

Soon the parents were alone. Momma dried her hands on a towel and sat across from him. "A wizard? Do you think she's right?"

"She has an eye for these things." He shrugged softly. "Maybe the witch could help? Witches are like wizards, aren't they? Alice doesn't look all that different than him, besides being a girl."

Momma considered softly a moment with a little hum of a sound. "That's a good idea… But she doesn't like us. Perhaps we should ask Alice to bring it up?"

"Excellent thought. Alice would be easier to approach. She could even bring Harry to meet her." He didn't look up from his book, seemingly content to speak while reading.

"The way Alice speaks, that may please her mother. If they both study. Do you think she can teach Harry?" She leaned towards he husband, her large snout almost touching his.

"I couldn't say for sure, but I hope so." He turned to the next page but gave her snout a kiss before starting to read it. "It's worth a try."

She giggled with a simple joy. "It is at that. The next time Alice stops by then."

"I'll ask her if you aren't around." With agreement reached, they settled to do peaceful evening things.

"He seems to be settling," Poppa broke the silence with, turning to the next page. "He looked so uncertain at first, but I think it's passing."

Momma nodded softly, dusting her hands on her skirt. "I think making friends turned things around. He's surrounded by people closer to his age than I can be, and he's not ready to call _me_ mother."

"We're not adopting him," noted Poppa as his eyes drifted left and right. "It's alright if he doesn't see us as his parents."

"Speaking of that… The way he responded, do you think something happened to his parents?"

"Quite possibly… Asking about it would be impolite though. He'll tell us if he wants to, if he wants to." He turned to the next page and gently creased the page, marking it as he closed the book. "He may not."

"He may not," she gently agreed. "It's hard, in situations like these. I want to just grab him and hug him tight until it's all better again."

He smiled gently at his wife. "That is because you are a good mother and a wonderful person. Thank you for reminding me just how right I was those years ago."

Her cheeks warmed as she burst into laughter. "You flatterer!" She swatted his shoulder lightly. "For now, we'll provide a safe place to be. Is his home _that_ far away we couldn't walk there?"

"Oh, much too far for that." He rest his arms on his book. "We'd have to walk to the shore, then take a dreadfully long boat ride to have a chance. It would be a grand adventure, like the kind I used to have."

"That does sound terribly far…" She let out a slow sigh. "It would be just as bad to have him injured trying to get him home. I really do hope the witch knows something."

"At the very least, she may understand him better." He drummed his fingers along the top of the book. "That's something."

"Do you think he's getting along with everyone?"

He quirked an ear, glancing upwards. "I don't hear shouting or fussing. I think they're doing just fine." A sudden thought brought a smile to his face. "Why don't you bring them some cookies? They'll like it."

"And give me a chance to peek in on them. You are clever." She rose to her feet and made her way towards the stove. "I'll get right on that. Some tasty little cookies for good children. It may help calm him down with some comfort food. I'll make them extra tasty."

"I must admit, this is a little exciting. Part of me wants to grab him and-"

"Hug him?"

"No, dear." He shook his head, one hand grasping the rim of his top hat. "Go right off to find his home. It sounds like such an exciting adventure!"

"But you won't you do that, will you." She didn't turn to face him, working on the cookies.

"No," he sighed out. "I won't… I wouldn't do that… without permission at least."

"Thank you." She began to fashion the dough into cookie patties as she sprinkled them with something. "You can have your adventure right here, being a good poppa to our strange guest."

"When you put it like that… this is something of an adventure, isn't it?" He clapped his hands together, his mood lifting. "Adventure from the comfort of our lovely home. That's the best of both worlds."

"That's the way to look at it." She put the tray in the oven to cook. "If he can do magic like Alice can, maybe, when he learns enough, he can take himself home. Wouldn't that be nice?"

"Yes… but until then, I want to know more about wizards. I wonder how they differ from witches."


	3. Chapter 3

It would be several days before Alice would appear. Until then, Harry became part of the group. When they wandered off on little adventures, he was quite welcome to come along. They climbed trees and cliffsides. They watched sunsets and sunrises. The cool days and the warm, he spent with his new friends, who didn't seem to mind that he was a human, so he returned the favor and tried not to care if they were human either, which some were, and some were not.

"Do some magic," insisted Little My one day. "Go on."

"Pardon?" Harry was sitting on a branch, Little just a few inches away. "I know one trick." He patted his pockets and drew out a pencil. "Perfectly solid, right?" He held it towards her.

She snatched it and tapped it against the tree they were perched on. "Yep." She gave it back. "So?"

"So how does it do _this_?" He wobbled the pencil up and down, the stiff wood starting to warp and bend like rubber before her eyes.

"What?!" She bounced to her feet, squinting at the bending pencil. "How? Wait." She snatched it right out of his hand, his grip purposefully loose to allow the magic to happen. But the pencil was perfectly rigid in her grasp. She shook it about, but it remained straight and even. "Wizards really _can_ do magic!"

"I wouldn't call myself a wizard," humbly demurred Harry. "Just a little trick I learned a while back." He took his pencil back from her, leaving her baffled. "Where are the others?"

Little raised a hand over her eyes and looked around slowly. "There!" She thrust a finger into the distance where two moomins sat side by side, but there was a third person with them. About as tall as the two moomins and seated next to them. Whoever they were, they had red hair, going down to their mid-back. Female?

"Alice is with them," announced Little even as she jumped down, bouncing off other branches on the way down in athletics springs before landing deftly at the bottom. "You'll like her, I know it."

"Yeah?" Harry moved to climb down, but wasn't nearly as agile as Little in practically jumping down the tree.

"Hello," interrupted a female voice.

He hadn't gotten more than halfway down and almost slipped in surprise. Turning his head, he saw that same person, now facing him. Her hair floated, as did the rest of her, as if some unseen force were gently wafting to keep her aloft. She had bright green eyes and a little smile. "My friends said your name was Harry, was it?"

There was a person just casually defying reality. Compared to Little's bout of athleticism, this was on another level entirely. Harry stammered with shock, trying to piece it all together. "Oh, y-yes, that's… me… How are you… flying?"

"Just a little magic." She reached for him, offering a few stabilizing hands. "I didn't mean to surprise you. I'm Alice, and you… need to meet my mother."

With her unasked for help, he reached the ground intact to find the others had closed the distance. It was only that moment that he remembered that one of the ones he had thought was a moomin was not. She was a snork. "Why do I need to meet your mother?"

"Because your friends are right." She waved a hand at them. "You're magic. Really magic! I can feel it."

Floren inclined her head faintly. "I don't know much about magic besides the things Alice can do." She gestured at the still hovering girl. "She can walk on water too."

"That was one of the first tricks I learned," demurred Alice with a faint blush as if embarrassed at such a little thing she could do. "Do you know any?"

"No!" Harry blurted out, waving his hands. "I mean, that's… great… but _how_?"

"What do you mean, how?" Alice spread her hands wide in a great shrug. "I just told you it's magic. I learned it from my mother, whose a much better witch than I am. I'm still trying to be certified."

"There are certifications, for witches?"

Moomin grinned suddenly. "I was surprised too when I found out."

"But there are," agreed Floren. "Alice, maybe he needs to see another trick or two?"

Little popped up just behind Harry, leaning around his leg. "I bet she _can't_ do what Harry just did."

All eyes turned to Harry. "What?" He dug out his pencil and held it out. "It's… a trick I learned a long time ago. See, all solid, right?"

Each of them advanced to take the pencil and test it. It was a perfectly normal pencil. But when he wobbled it up and down with a practicedly loose grip, it began to bend and warp as if made of rubber. "Behold!"

Alice brought her hands together in a clap and the others quickly joined. Harry had never expected an applause for such a little trick, but they all seemed impressed. "You _do_ have some magic, but it's odd. I don't _feel_ magic. Maybe because you're a wizard."

"She's a witch," reminded Little. "Still not sure what the difference is. Hey, can you walk on water?"

"That's not one I learned." Harry shook his head quickly. "I'm not a _wizard_. I just know a trick."

Alice pointed at the center of his chest. "You have magic, I feel certain."

"Me too," gruffly agreed Little.

Floren and Moomin were shaking their heads, but Moomin suddenly jumped. "Oh yeah. Poppa said if you thought he was magic, you should take him to meet your mother."

Alice coiled a finger to her bottom lip. "Well, he _is_ magic, I'm certain."

"I'm not magic. I'm barely a teenaged boy." He threw his hands wide and stepped back. "If doing a little trick with a pencil is all it takes-"

"-Oh no, not that." Alice shook her head. "I know that trick too, but you did it very well. A+ for stagecraft. That doesn't make you _not_ magic, which you are. I know it."

Floren gently grasped Harry's left arm, her furry fingers coiling around it. "We trust Alice, she's a good girl. Her mother might be a little scary, but she's nice too. She'll know for sure what you are. If you _are_ magic, wouldn't you want to know?"

Harry was but a young boy. The assuring tone of the only-slightly older female eased his nerves a little. "If you're sure?"

He was suddenly nudged forward, Little smirking behind him. "Nope! But there's one way to find out."

Moomin frowned at her. "Be nice. It's your choice, Harry. I think she could help, but you don't _have_ to go." He offered one furry hand. "We'll be here for you either way."

Floren nodded in strong agreement. "Oh, yes, certainly. Once she's told you what she can, you can come back home, to Moominhouse."

That wasn't exactly home, not yet. Still… "Well, alright… So where do you live?" He turned in place as if her house would come into view at any moment. "This shouldn't take long, right?"

"I couldn't say that for sure, but my house is that way." She pointed off towards the horizon. "It'll be faster if we fly, if you trust me?"

On one hand, flying with only the grip of a girl he barely knew hardly seemed safe. On the other, it was a chance to _fly_, for _real_. His boyish heart knew which of those priorities were higher. "Yeah. I trust you." He didn't, but he wanted to experience flight. Surely he would just thump on the ground if things went badly. What's the worst that could happen?

She took his hand, weaving her fingers with his. "This shouldn't be too bad. I can borrow a little of your magic, since you aren't using it."

Floren took a step back, releasing Harry. "Do be careful."

Moomin bobbed his head quickly. "Have fun!" He began to wave energetically to his departing friend.

The ground lifted away and his clothes billowed, as if the wind were pushing up at him,lifting him from all directions to match Alice's upward motion. "Just hold my hand," she advised, closing her fingers, but never squeezing very hard.

"I'll be sure not to let go." The further the ground withdrew, the less that option appealed. Still, they were flying. The rush of the wind as they started forward made it impossible to mistake for anything else. They were flying, with magic! He felt no wire attached to him anywhere, and the girl pulling him along at her side was surely not strong enough to hold him perfectly up like that.

Their friends watched them go, all waving at different paces. Floren was the first to let her hand down. "Do you think he'll be alright?"

"He'll be fine." Little My shrugged her shoulders. "I want to hear the story when he gets back. It should be good."

"He gets to learn magic," noted Moomin with a little pout. "Why can't I learn magic?"

Floren poked him right on his big round nose. "Because we are trolls, which is its own kind of magic. And it's lovely. Now, I motion we head home and alert your parents that Harry's been taken to visit the witch."

"Good idea!" He swiveled in place and began to march towards home, his arms pumping dramatically with each step. "They'll be so proud we managed that all on our own."

Little My danced along a small distance removed. "I wonder what kind of magic he'll learn. Do you think it'll be the same as Alice?"

Floren raised her knuckles to her chin as she walked. "Maybe, but you said he wasn't a witch, right?"

"Don't think so." Little shrugged softly. "I'm not an expert but he doesn't seem like a witch."

Moomen quirked an ear back at her. "You still haven't said what the difference is."

"Because if I knew I woulda already said, dummy." They stuck out their tongues at one another, but all proceeded back to the house to deliver the news.

* * *

"We're leaving the valley of moomins," Alice announced as they approached a peak. "-and entering the forest of witches, where my mother and I live." She pointed ahead with her free hand as the ominous trees came into view.

It was a thick forest, filled with pines and other trees well-adapted with life in cold climates. They were close together, making the canopy thick from above and the hard ground to see. It was mostly a dark green, but splashes of colors broke it up where flowers would come into view for a brief moment.

"So… are you friends with them?" He didn't dare point just then, floating as he was in that curious way. "The moomins that is. Are they really trolls, person to person?"

"They're people too," she countered with a raised brow. "Just not humans. There are countless kinds of trolls, gremlins, gnomes and goblins out there, and they are two of them." She held up two fingers for emphasis. "Moomin and snork; as I'm sure they've told you before."

"Well, yes, they did mention that." So many questions remained, but one was becoming more pressing. "Are we close?"

"We're here." She tilted forward, taking him along as they dove into the trees, the needles briskly whisking at his face before they broke through, a small hut there in the middle of the clearing as if it were trying to hide in the forest. "Welcome to my home."

As soon as she was a few inches from the ground, she released his hand and he slipped free, hitting the ground with a grunt and wobbling in place before he refound his balance. "That was… amazing."

"I was so happy when I learned that spell. Now, we should go announce our-"

"**Alice**," boomed a voice from inside the hut, shrill and angry. "Did you sneak off to those Moomin again? I've told you a thousand times!"


End file.
